China Bans 3 Runners For Life After Cheating at 2019 Boston Marathon
Apr 19, 2019
Runners race to the finish line in the 123rd Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15, 2019, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Three marathon runners found guilty of cheating at the 2019 Boston Marathon on Monday have been banned for life by the Chinese Athletic Association.
The CAA levied the punishments on Friday, per BBC News. A trio of runners were found to have committed the following infractions: "One participant gave his bib to someone else while the other two used forged certificates to gain entry."
Per BBC, China's Xinhua news agency relayed a statement from the CAA promising to do all it can "in order to build a healthy and clean environment of road running in China."
As the BBC News report noted, marathon running has been becoming more and more popular in China: "with 1,500 running events last year compared to just 22 in 2011." The surge in appreciation for the sport was underlined by the participation of "more than 550 Chinese runners" in Boston.
This photo taken on March 10, 2019 shows runners taking part in the 2019 Rugao International Marathon in Nantong in China's eastern Jiangsu province. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)
Unfortunately, a byproduct of said popularity has been a rise in incidents of cheating to both make and complete races. Faced with the problem, the CAA is anxious to mete out appropriate punishments for those whose actions had a "negative impact" on the country and its international standing.
To help deter future incidents, China is said to be planning the use of "facial-recognition technology," per Agence France-Presse (h/tInquirer.net).
While authorities in China have taken swift action, cheating remains a sport-wide problem for marathon events. Earlier in April,Jen A. Millerof theNew York Times published an article detailing the work of Derek Murphy, a financial analyst who started the websiteMarathon Investigation.
Since 2015, Murphy has been investigating potential cheaters. His findings have led to post-race disqualifications for several runners, further evidence of a growing problem.
Red Hilton, Boston Marathon's Final Runner, Helped Raise over $6K for Charity
Apr 17, 2019
Lelisa Desisa, of Ethiopia, leads the pack of men's elite runners along the course during the the 123rd Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15, 2019, . (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Red Hilton, who was the final person to complete Monday's Boston Marathon, helped raise $6,000 as part of the Boston Medical Center's team of runners.
According to Nicole Yang of the Boston Globe, Hilton finished the race at around 8 p.m. ET, which was long after most of the other 33,000 participants had left and after cleanup crews had already begun tidying up the area.
Hilton is a 46-year-old mother and realtor from East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, who said after the race, "The time will never matter. It's the fact that I finished."
Matt Pepin of the Boston Globe tweeted a photo of Hilton being met by her son as she crossed the finish line:
While Hilton said that finishing the 26.2-mile run was a struggle at times, she kept telling herself, "I didn't come this far to come this far," to will herself to the finish. Hilton also said that she took part in the race because she wanted to be "a part of something bigger than [herself]."
Hilton finished the Boston Marathon more than nine hours after the last wave of runners began and well after the likes of men's winner Lawrence Cherono of Kenya (2:07:57) and women's winner Worknesh Degefa of Ethiopia (2:23:31).
While Hilton may not have received the same adulation as Cherono and Degefa, she was met with a hug from her son and earned a medal celebrating her accomplishment.
Watch 2019 Boston Marathon Men's Title Comes Down to a Sprint to Finish Line
Apr 15, 2019
Kenya's Lawrence Cherono and Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisa ran for more than two hours and seven minutes during Monday's Boston Marathon but were separated by a mere two seconds at the finish line.
Cherono outlasted Desisa in a dramatic sprint to the finish to win the 123rd running of the race:
Scott Fauble was the top United States finisher among the men, coming in seventh, while Desiree Linden crossed the finish line first among the American women, coming in fifth.
The men's race was full of drama, as Cherono barely edged out Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisaf in a wild sprint to the finish. According toCindy Borenof the Washington Post, it was the closest finish in the Boston Marathon since 1988.
The Boston Marathon came down to a one-block SPRINT 😳
Chereno is a six-time marathon winner, per ESPN.com, though he had never run the Boston Marathon before Monday. Desisaf, meanwhile, saw his bid for a third straight title in Boston upstaged by Cherono.
Per Boren, Cherono was so drained by the race that he required help to stand get up on the podium, though he noted he was "so happy, so grateful" for the win.
The women's race had less drama, as Degefa completely dominated the field, pulling ahead early and remaining in control for over 20 miles.
There were also some famous athletes in the field Monday. The 1984 Olympic marathon gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson, who won the Boston Marathon in 1979, finished the race.
Boston Marathon legend Joan Benoit Samuelson finishes the Boston Marathon 40 years after her historic win. pic.twitter.com/vCrfvS0ttp
NASCAR superstar Jimmie Johnson was also in the field.
"Training is a part of every racecar driver's life," Johnson told Boren. "Certainly, getting ready for a marathon is more than the normal event. There's just a lot of miles required."
Brighton Marathon 2019 Results: Helen Davies, Peter Le Grice Win Races
Apr 14, 2019
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: A general view of the Color Run presented by Dulux, known as the happiest 5km on the planet on September 20, 2014 in Brighton, England. Runners of all shapes, sizes and speeds start wearing white clothing. At each kilometre a different colour of powder is thrown in the air with the runners becoming a constantly evolving artwork. At the end of the course runners are greeted by the Color Festival where the air is filled with music and stunning coloured powder bursts creating a vibrant party atmosphere. (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images for Dulux)
Helen Davies won the Brighton Marathon for the third consecutive year on Sunday as she topped the women's elite race, while Peter Le Grice won the men's race.
Davies led from start to finish and set a time of two hours, 34 minutes and six seconds, more than four minutes quicker than her winning time last year, while Le Grice finished in 2:16:23:
— Brighton Marathon Weekend (@BrightonMarathn) April 14, 2019
Jill Collett and Johanna O'Regan rounded out the women's top three, but they were well behind Davies with finishing times of 2:48:14 and 2:49:38, respectively.
The Brighton & Hove Independent captured Davies' winning moment:
— Brighton and Hove Independent – The Brighton Indy (@BrightonIndy) April 14, 2019
There was a close battle behind him for the podium places, though:
The leaderboard shows Peter Le Grice heading well inside the current UK course best time of 2:18:04 As projected inside 2:15! What a battle for the podium places behind with 1second separating 4 runners! #brightonmarathonpic.twitter.com/ObYmINRSB3
— Brighton Marathon Weekend (@BrightonMarathn) April 14, 2019
In the end, Paul Navesey took second with a time of 2:18:16 to finish ahead of Ian Leitch, who recorded a time of 2:18:33.
Last year's runner-up Dan Nash had to settle for fourth, while Corney came fifth. Each of the top six men finished in under 2:20:00.
Earlier, there were course records for Nick Goolab and Steph Twell in the elite 10-kilometre races:
— Brighton Marathon Weekend (@BrightonMarathn) April 14, 2019
In the elite women's 10k race, @StefApril won by over 1 minute in 31:58, ahead of Mhairi Maclennan, Emily Hosker-Thornhill and Kate Reed #BM10k 🙌 pic.twitter.com/UpU5kI7BVQ
— Brighton Marathon Weekend (@BrightonMarathn) April 14, 2019
Boston Marathon 2019: Route, Course Map, Times, Road Closures and Event Details
Apr 14, 2019
Timothy McFadden, of Boston, splashes through a puddle after finishing the 122nd Boston Marathon in the rain on Monday, April 16, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
On Monday—Patriots' Day in several states—the 123rd Boston Marathon will be held. The 30,000 participants will line up on Main Street in Hopkinton and make their way 26.2 miles through the city and its surrounding towns before racing past the finish line in Copley Square.
And they'll do so in challenging circumstances. The weather forecast for Monday, per AccuWeather, calls for rain when the first set of participants, the men's wheelchair race, line up at 9:02 a.m. ET, which has the potential to grow heavy through the other waves, with the last start time scheduled for 11:15 a.m. ET.
However, the rain won't be raw, and wind shouldn't be a big factor; the temperature will be in the mid-50s and could rise above 60 in the afternoon. It certainly won't be as trying as last year's conditions.
As for this year, among the 30,000 participants are former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson and husband-and-wife TV stars Jared and Genevieve Padalecki.
One of the best parts about the Boston Marathon is its humbling ability to unite runners from all walks of live; former athletes and regular folks are one and the same when it comes to 26.2 miles of what's recognized as one of the world's most challenging races.
Whether you're camping out along the route to cheer on friends and family or planning on watching remotely, here's everything you need to know about the 123rd Boston Marathon.
The race will begin on Main Street in Hopkinton, a suburb of Boston. From there, runners will traverse through suburbsAshland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley and Newton (location of the infamous Heartbreak Hill) before reaching the city proper.
Once in Boston, runners will take Hereford Street toward Boylston Street to finish in Copley Square near John Hancock Tower.
Along the way, there are plenty of road closures citizens should be aware of. They will take effect from 3:30 a.m. and continue well into the evening.
The times road closures will be in effect in each town and city are below. All are in ET.
Hopkinton: 7 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Ashland: 7:15 a.m-1:45 p.m.
Framingham: 8:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m.
Natick: 8:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m.
Wellesley: 8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
Newton: 8 a.m.-4:15 p.m.
Brookline: 9 a.m.-5:15 p.m
Boston: Variable-7 p.m. (Boylston Street at 8:00 p.m.)
Many of Boston's major roads will be affected by closures, including but not limited to sections of Boylston Street, Beacon Street, Newbury Street, Commonwealth Avenue, Columbus Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue. A full list of street closures can be found at Boston.gov.
Spectators or even citizens attempting to go about their days will want to make heavy use of the MBTA on Monday. The Back Bay station is just a short walk from the finish line on Boylston Street.
The Boston Athletic Association recommends using its official buses to make it out to the start in Hopkinton. More information on B.A.A. transportation can be found on its website.
The most popular spectator locations include the start of the race in Hopkinson, the Scream Tunnel in Wellesley, Heartbreak Hill in Newton and, of course, the finish line.
Results will be posted on the B.A.A. website as they become available. You can also sign up for text alerts on your favorite runners' progress through the AT&T Athlete Alert program, which you can access through any mobile network.
Paris Marathon 2019 Results: Men's and Women's Top Finishers
Apr 14, 2019
Ethiopia's Abrha Milaw (L) and Ethiopia's Gelete Burka celebrate their victory in the men and women category during the podium ceremony of Paris Marathon on April 14, 2019. (Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP) (Photo credit should read KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP/Getty Images)
Abrha Milaw and Gelete Burka respectively won the men's and women's elite races at the 2019 Paris Marathon on Sunday.
Milaw set a time of two hours, seven minutes and five seconds, 20 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, while Burka won the 43rd edition of the race in the French capital with a time of 2:22:47.
The event's official Twitter account shared the results of the men's, women's and wheelchair races:
— Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris (@parismarathon) April 14, 2019
The Frenchman finished almost nine minutes before Switzerland's Heinz Frei, while Russia's Vitaliy Gritsenko took third a further minute behind him.
Casoli's victory was his third at the Paris Marathon, having also won it in 2012 and 2015.
Paris Marathon 2019: Route, Course Map, Times, Event Details
Apr 12, 2019
Kenya's Paul Lonyangata celebrates as he places first in the Men's Group during the 42nd edition of the Paris Marathon on April 8, 2018 in Paris. / AFP PHOTO / Eric FEFERBERG (Photo credit should read ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty Images)
The 2019 Paris Marathon will take place on Sunday when around 60,000 competitors take to the streets of the French capital.
The elite men's race will see Paul Lonyangata bid to win a record third consecutive title, having won the event in 2017 and 2018, but defending women's champion Betsy Saina won't be present.
Here is the schedule for the day's racing:
Paris Marathon Schedule
8:06 a.m. local time (7:06 a.m. BST, 2:06 a.m. ET): Wheelchair race
8:09 a.m. local time (7:09 a.m. BST, 2:09 a.m. ET): Elite women
8:25 a.m. local time (7:25 a.m. BST, 2:25 a.m. ET): Elite men and preferential wave
10:20 a.m. local time (9:20 a.m. BST, 4:20 a.m. ET): Last runners depart
The 26-mile route will see the runners start on the Champs-Elysees in front of the Arc de Triomphe and cross seven districts of the French capital before returning to the monument via the Avenue Foch:
— Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris (@parismarathon) April 10, 2019
Along the way, the competitors will pass some of Paris' most famous sites.
They'll make their way to the Bois de Vincennes via the Place de la Concorde, Palais Garnier and Place de la Bastille before heading back along the Seine, where they will pass Notre Dame cathedral and the Eiffel Tower.
Lonyangata's recent record in Paris makes him the favourite in the men's race, though he could face some stiff competition this year.
The Kenyan set his personal best of 2 hours, six minutes and 10 seconds in Paris with his win in 2017, but there are several competitors who have recorded quicker times than him.
Asefa Mengistu, Yemane Tsegay and Feyisa Lilesa, all of Ethiopia, have each set personal bests under 2:05:00.
In the women's race, it's a slightly more open field without Saina. Gelete Burka, whose best time of 2:20:45 would be a course record in Paris, is the favourite.
Video: Paralyzed Adam Gorlitsky Walks 17.2 Miles with Exoskeleton at LA Marathon
Mar 25, 2019
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: Runners cross the finish line of the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon on March 24, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Being paralyzed from the waist down didn't stop Adam Gorlitsky from completing a majority of the Los Angeles Marathon.
The 32-year-old walked 17.2 miles using an exoskeleton over the course of three days with a support group around him, via TMZ Sports:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbgwvQQVlm0
Gorlitsky, who was paralyzed 13 years ago in a car accident, had previously completed various other races, including a half marathon, per Kim Baldonado of NBC Los Angeles. With the aid of an $80,000 robotic exoskeleton, he was trying to push himself even further this time.
"I don't feel disabled, but I don't feel able-bodied," he said before attempting the marathon. "I feel what I call re-enabled and all that means is what it feels to be empowered."
Although he fell short of becoming the first American paraplegic ever to complete the 26.2-mile race, he still displayed an inspired effort in his journey.
Los Angeles Marathon Elite runners, from left, Weldon Kirui, Simon Njoroge, Elisha Barno race past the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. Kirui won the Los Angeles Marathon with an unofficial time of 2 hours 11 minutes and 47 seconds. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Elisha Barno and Askale Merachi won the men's and women's races at Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday morning.
The Kenyan Barno shocked runner-up John Korir with a blistering pace down the home stretch.
With a time of 2:24:11, Merachi held off Cynthia Jerop (2:25:54), Lucy Karimi (2:26:15), Olha Skrypak (2:30:33) and Jane Kibii (2:32:12) with relative ease. She also set a course record with her victory, according to Austin Knoblauch of the Los Angeles Times.
And Barno's victory ended Kirui's string of dominance, after the Kenyan won the previous two men's marathons.
It appeared neither would end Sunday victorious, as Korir established a sizable lead ahead of the 20-mile mark. But Barno made his comeback on the final two miles, finishing with an impressive burst to claim the title.
The sights and scenes are always striking at the Los Angeles Marathon, which begins at Dodger Stadium before winding downtown and making trips through famous neighborhoods like Hollywood and Beverly Hills before ending at the Santa Monica Pier.
After all, how many marathon courses are lined with palm trees?
According to ABC7.com, "More than 24,000 people are in the race, which has drawn entrants from all 50 states and a record 66 nations, three more than the previous high, according to organizers."
